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Understanding Syneresis and Imbibition

Syneresis is the process by which a liquid separates from a gel as when serum separates from a clotting blood or whey separates from yogurt. It occurs when the amount of liquid in a swollen polymer exceeds the solubility limit due to changes in temperature or other conditions. Examples of syneresis include the separation of moisture from overcooked meat or eggs and the breaking of emulsified sauces. In dentistry, syneresis refers to the shrinkage of dental impressions due to the expulsion of water molecules over time.

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Ahmed Gharbi
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798 views1 page

Understanding Syneresis and Imbibition

Syneresis is the process by which a liquid separates from a gel as when serum separates from a clotting blood or whey separates from yogurt. It occurs when the amount of liquid in a swollen polymer exceeds the solubility limit due to changes in temperature or other conditions. Examples of syneresis include the separation of moisture from overcooked meat or eggs and the breaking of emulsified sauces. In dentistry, syneresis refers to the shrinkage of dental impressions due to the expulsion of water molecules over time.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Gharbi
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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  • Syneresis

Syneresis

Syneresis (also spelled 'synæresis' or 'synaeresis'), in chemistry, is the extraction or expulsion of a


liquid from a gel, as when serum drains from a contracting clot of blood. Another example of
syneresis is the collection of whey on the surface of yogurt. Syneresis can also be observed when the
amount of diluent in a swollen polymer exceeds the solubility limit as the temperature changes. A
household example of this is the counter intuitive expulsion of water from dry gelatin when the
temperature increases. Syneresis has also been proposed as the mechanism of formation of the
amorphous silicate composing the frustule of diatoms. [1]

In the processing of dairy milk, for example during cheese making, syneresis is the formation of the
curd due to the sudden removal of the hydrophilic macropeptides, which causes an imbalance in
intermolecular forces. Bonds between hydrophobic sites start to develop and are enforced by
calcium bonds which form as the water molecules in the micelles start to leave the structure. This
process is usually referred to as the phase of coagulation and syneresis. The splitting of the bond
between residues 105 and 106 in the κ-casein molecule is often called the primary phase of the
rennet action, while the phase of coagulation and syneresis is referred to as the secondary phase.

In cooking, syneresis is the sudden release of moisture contained within protein molecules, usually
caused by excessive heat, which over-hardens the protein shell. Moisture inside expands upon
heating. The hard protein shell pops, expelling the moisture.

This process is what changes juicy rare steak to dry steak when well-done. It creates weeping in
scrambled eggs, with dry protein curd swimming in released moisture. It causes emulsified sauces,
such as hollandaise, to "break". It creates unsightly moisture pockets within baked custard dishes
such as flan or crème brûlée.

In dentistry, syneresis is the expulsion of water or other liquid molecules from dental impression
materials (alginate for example) after an impression has been taken. Due to this process, the
impression shrinks a little and therefore its size is no longer accurate. For this reason, many dental
impression companies strongly recommend to pour the dental cast as soon as possible to prevent
distortion of the dimension of the teeth and objects in the impression.

The opposite process of syneresis is imbibition, meaning, a material that absorbs water molecules
from the surrounding. Alginate is also an example of imbibition since if soaked in water, it will absorb
it.

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